Collective Leadership

We are living in politically turbulent times in India. We need to go back to the basics. The constitution of India is an ideal, comprehensive document with a preamble that embodies the best universal human values in evocative words. Our constitution was drafted by great leaders who themselves had been influenced by the long  freedom struggle they had participated in, which in turn had been inspired by the American and French revolutions among many other historical events. The fathers of the constitution had also experienced the devastating effects of fascism in the previous fifteen years of their lives. In fact, the last phase of our long independence movement had been shadowed by the global war against fascism. Over sixty years later, we can only be grateful to those who prepared for us the invaluable constitution of India.

Has the constitution failed us or have we failed the constitution? I am of the view that after sixty-six years of independence, we have lost touch both with the realities and the values of those times. The legacy has been corrupted over the years like so many other spheres in our country, from politics to cricket. The answer lies not in amending the constitution to suit our instant desires but in restraining our desires so as to channel them through the constitutional means. Let it not be forgotten that India has survived with its constitutionally determined political system while her immediate neighbors are still struggling with theirs.

There has been this talk going on for long of having a presidential form of government instead of the parliamentary form. A private member’s bill is in the offing to introduce the presidential form, moved by one general secretary of the BJP who is a member of parliament. Now there is also another version of the same theme in the air to elect the prime minister directly. This type of talk increases when the votaries of the personality cult increase. Obviously the two are connected. The connection is dangerous for the polity of our country with its realistic federal structure, and rich diversities of language, religion and culture. India, as our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru often said, is unique for its unity in the midst of diversity. The parliamentary system of government at the centre and in the states is best suited for our country. Collective responsibility of the council of ministers led by the prime minister or chief minister is one of the salient features of this system. If collective responsibility is the requirement, then collective leadership is the imperative. How can there be one without the other? The prime or chief minister is the first among equals in the council of ministers or cabinet. S/he is the leader. S/he has the prerogative to choose the ministers and allot them the portfolios. S/he can change the portfolios or recommend dismissal of a particular minister to the President or Governor. The council of ministers is responsible to the parliament which in turn is responsible to the people. The system has worked well except for a few aberrations by authoritarian prime ministers or chief ministers, who have eventually been shown the door if not by the parliament then by the people. It is to be remembered that the mighty Indira Gandhi was defeated after the emergency in March 1977, and brought back to power in January 1980, and that Rajiv Gandhi won with a record two third majority in 1984 and was reduced to the position of the leader of opposition in 1989. In Goa the powerful Sashikala Kakodkar was defeated in December 1979 and never became chief minister again. These big political changes took place within our parliamentary system without destabilizing the country or state. There are examples galore in the history of India when personality cults have led to political disasters for the cult figures and the people as well but the country has survived and grown stronger.

Whoever may be the projected leader, Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi or any other, what matters is that we elect a party and its candidates for the program that is promised, the values that have been upheld in the course of the past or present tenure, and the number of credible leaders that are in the forefront of the party. These credible leaders are the backbone of a promising future. Not just one of them, but a group of them coming from various backgrounds and various regions. Collective responsibility of collective leadership. The wisdom that is obtained from the many in a council of equals has been and will be far superior to the plans of one single leader who may think only s/he has All The National Answers, or worse still, may think that s/he is The Only National Answer.

We are in the twenty-first century. It is important that we study the history of the twentieth century and learn from it, not be condemned to repeat it. The manmade disasters of the past could have been avoided if personality cults had not been promoted by popularity.

 


Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 16.06.2013